Pilsen bagelmaker opening Rosca in building his family once called home

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Felix Zepeda built a following selling Mexican-fusion bagels at farmers markets and pop-ups. This winter, he opens Rosca's first permanent shop on Pilsen's 18th Street, in the building where his family once lived.

The move from pop-up to storefront is a bet on both the business and the neighborhood. Pilsen has absorbed waves of immigrant settlement for 150 years and now faces rising rents and new development. A native son opening a shop on the block his family called home tests whether the neighborhood keeps its small-business character amid the change.

Why it matters

A native son's bagel shop is a test of whether Pilsen can keep its immigrant entrepreneurial character as rents rise and the neighborhood changes.

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Key Indicators

Winter 2026-27

Expected opening

Rosca plans to open its 18th Street shop this winter, per Block Club Chicago.

99%

Organic ingredients

Zepeda says the bagels are about 99 percent organic, with flour ground from wheat berries.

Signature bagel varieties

Menu includes Cinnamon Raisin Churro, Mexican Everything, and Red Mole, among others.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

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People Involved

Felix Zepeda

Chef and owner, Rosca

Planning to open Rosca's first permanent shop on 18th Street this winter

Ariana Cabral

Co-owner, Rosca

Opening Rosca's 18th Street shop with Felix Zepeda this winter

Organizations Involved

Rosca

Small business

Opening first permanent shop this winter

Pilsen-born bagel business known for Mexican-fusion varieties like Red Mole and Cinnamon Raisin Churro.

Panadería Irámuco Gto

Mexican bakery

Collaborated with Rosca

Pilsen bakery at 1339 W. 18th Street that hosted Rosca's bagels alongside traditional pan dulce.

Timeline

2026 October 2026

2 events Latest: Today

October 2026
Block Club reports Rosca's 18th Street opening
Today Announcement

Block Club Chicago reports Felix Zepeda and Ariana Cabral will open Rosca this winter on 18th Street, in a building Zepeda's family once called home.
Today
2026
Rosca collaborates with Pilsen bakery
Business

Zepeda begins selling Rosca bagels at Panadería Irámuco Gto, gaining a professional kitchen and weekend pickup point.
2026

Scenarios

Rosca opens on 18th Street, draws steady crowds

Likely Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Block Club Chicago's report frames the opening as the culmination of Zepeda's pop-up success.

The shop opens this winter as planned. Zepeda and Cabral serve Mexican-fusion bagels from the 18th Street location, and the farmers market following carries over. The shop becomes a destination for bagels with a Mexican twist in Pilsen.

Rosca opens, then closes within the first year

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: The pattern of pop-up success not translating to brick-and-mortar sustainability is a known risk in the restaurant industry.

The shop opens to initial interest, but the costs of a permanent storefront, including rent, staffing, and equipment, outpace revenue. Zepeda cuts hours, reduces the menu, or closes the shop within the first year of operation.

Rosca's opening is delayed or scrapped

Unlikely Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Construction, permitting, and financing delays are common for new restaurant storefronts.

The winter opening slips. Renovation, permitting, or financing issues delay the debut. The shop either opens months late or the plan is abandoned entirely.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1870s-1900s

Czech Settlement of Pilsen (1870s-1900s)

After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Czech-Bohemian immigrants built a self-sufficient neighborhood southwest of downtown. By the turn of the century, 18th Street was a dense commercial spine with Czech bakeries, banks, churches, and meeting halls.

Then

Pilsen became one of the largest Czech settlements in the United States, with a thriving network of immigrant-owned businesses.

Now

The neighborhood later became a hub for Mexican immigrants, who reshaped its commercial and cultural identity while preserving its dense, ornate building stock.

Why this matters now

Zepeda's family once lived in the building where he is now opening a shop. He is carrying on Pilsen's long tradition of immigrant entrepreneurs building businesses on the blocks they call home.

December 2005

Pilsen Historic District Designation (2005)

The National Park Service formally established the Pilsen Historic District, recognizing the neighborhood's significance as a Czech and later Mexican immigrant community. The designation covers roughly 5,243 buildings, most built between the 1880s and 1910s.

Then

The designation gave Pilsen federal recognition as a historic district but did not stop demographic change or rising property values.

Now

Pilsen has since become a sought-after location for new restaurants and shops, creating tension between preserving the neighborhood's character and gentrification pressures.

Why this matters now

Rosca's opening on 18th Street sits at that tension: a native son betting on the neighborhood's continuing identity even as rents rise and development accelerates.